Bring On The War!
by Gir-Rory
Summary: Some of the most powerful people in Tortall start a prank war. And is that Kel and Dom kissing in the corner? Characters include The Lioness, Kel, Dom, The King, a cherry tart, and many more!
1. Boycotting the Ball

**A/N**- _No, I don't own any of these characters, or anything else in the story, really. It's an _

_original plot, though, so that's mine. I also own the cherry tart. Blame BrittyWeasly for _

_the tiny K/D bit. I like K/D too, but I've never written anything with even a tiny bit of _

_romance in it. So this is a first. Enjoy!_

****

**Boycotting The Ball**

****  
  
"_Shhh!_"

"Hurry up. Do you wanna get caught?!"

Several figures crept down the shadowy hall, two of them in dresses.

"Alanna, why do we have to get there so early?"

"I told you, Raoul. We need to get there to finish setting up."  
  
"What do we do if someone sees us?"

"My dear Keladry. Then we shall-"

"Be quiet Meathead. She wasn't asking you-"

"So right, Domitan! She was asking me-"

"Neal, Dom, Raoul! Shhh! We're here."

"But Alanna, what do we do if we're caught?"

"Kel, we won't be."

"But what if-"

The Lioness' face grew red. "Then we'll run, o.k.?!" She looked at the others. "Come on."

She and Raoul took two large buckets and hid behind them some draperies in a corner.

_Just in time, too,_ thought Raoul. King Jonathon and Queen Thayet entered the large

ballroom and crossed to their old friends, who all stood, trying not to look guilty but failing

miserably, in the center of the room.

Jon's eyes narrowed. "Hello," he said, "What are you all up to?"

"Hahaha," Raoul laughed nervously. "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

Jon looked even more suspicious. "What are you doing?"

"Jon, we're not doing anything," Alanna replied sweetly.

"Alanna, you're a terrible liar."

"Would I lie to you Jon?"

"Yes, I think you would."

Alanna's face grew red. He knew her too well. _That's what I get for being so close to _

_him._ She looked at her king. "Sire, you're right. We are up to something."

Jon smiled as Alanna's companions stared at her. Would she really tell him what they were

planning?

Jon spoke again. "So, what are you doing?"

"We're, uh, we're..." Alanna frantically tried to think of something to say, "We're...We're-

We wanted to get here early t-to, uh, help set up. Yeah that's it!"

Alanna, Raoul, Kel, Neal, and Dom all put on big phony, smiles as Jon and Thayet stared

at them.

"But Alanna, Raoul," Thayet began, "I thought you hated social events."

Raoul rubbed the back of his head and gave a fake little laugh. "Well, we used to, but-"

He slung an arm around Alanna's neck "-now we like 'em." _Wow, is that a big lie or what!_ he

thought.

"And they wanted to get here extra early because they like them so much!" Kel added

happily. As an after thought she added, "Sires." Neal and Dom nodded wildly in agreement.

Jon and Thayet continued to stare. Finally, Jon spoke up, "Um, well, alright." By this

time the hall had started to fill up with people. The king and queen bid their friends goodbye and

walked away, Jon muttering to Thayet, "I don't believe them at all." Thayet shook her head in

agreement.

The little group breathed let out their breath collectively. Alanna looked at them all and

whispered, "Now to put operation 'Boycotting the Ball' in progress. Remember, when I give the

signal, Kel, Neal, and Dom will create a diversion while Raoul and I bring on the chaos." She

saluted. "Good luck everyone." At this, they all dispersed into the crowd.

----------------

Neal walked around, talking to friends and eating. He scanned the crowd. Kel and

Dom were in a corner, kissing. _Ew,_ he thought, _That's not right._ Casually he walked over to his

cousin and best friend. They didn't seem to notice him. He stood glaring at them a moment, then

drawled, "What are you doing?"

Kel madew a small squeaking noise and pushed Dom away. Dom hastily tried to

explain. "Kel was, well... Um... She was, uh, well. I mean, Kel was, she..." He turned red and

gave a crooked smile. Kel was trying, and failing, to hide her embarrassment behind a blank

face.

Neal was thoroughly enjoying their discomfort. He crossed his arms and leaned against the

wall. At that moment Alanna yelled, "Ah, yes. The food is wonderful!" The signal. Neal

continued to stare his friends. Dom muttered, "C'mon." and gave Neal a shove as the three

walked to the refreshment table.

Whistling, they each picked up a handful cherry tart and walked into the crowd. "_Now!_"

Kel muttered. They each launched their pastries into the mass of people at the far end of the hall.

Women screamed as little cakes landed in their hair and flew down their gowns. Men yelled as

they were pelted by flying cherries. The king didn't say anything as a tart flew through the air and

hit him square in the face with a loud _SPLAT_!

Raoul and Alanna seized the moment to unleash the real chaos. They rushed to the

draperies where the buckets were hidden, Raoul muttering, "Hurryhurrryhurryhurrryhurry..."

over and over again. Alanna hovered the first bucket over Jon's head and tipped it over,

covering him in maple syrup. The next bucket hovered into the air and flipped, too, covering the

king in white feathers. Silence filled the hall. Every noble's head turned to look at their ruler, who

had somehow been turned into a giant chicken. Jon's eyes narrowed as he saw Alannna, Raoul,

Kel, Neal, and Dom sprinting out of the hall. Thayet looked at him nervously, as if afraid he

might explode. He merely clenched his fists and stared straight ahead and whispered, "Oh, now __

_it's on_."


	2. Revenge of the Giant Chicken

**A/N**- _I don't own anything in this story, except the plot. Oh, and Alanna and Kel were   
  
wearing dresses in the first chapter to pretend that they really did like "social events". _

_Thanks for all the reviews on the first chapter! I got 10 in 2 days! I threw this chapter   
  
together pretty quick. I hope it meets your standards!_ **: )**

**  
Revenge of the Giant Chicken** ****

The little group sprinted down the corridor to Kel's chambers. Once inside, they just

stared at each other. Finally Alanna cracked a smile. "Did you see the look on his face?

_Classic!_"  
  
"That was great!" Neal yelled as everyone grew hysterical with laughter.  
  
"Terrific! That was the best prank I've _ever_ pulled. Well, this week, anyways!" Dom   
  
added.  
  
Suddenly, a thought struck Kel. "Hey, what if he knows it was us?"  
  
Raoul sat down in a chair. "What would Jon do to us, send us to our rooms?"  
  
This brought on another round of cackling. They were safe. The prank had gone off   
  
perfectly. What could happen?   
  
---------------  
  
"I cannot believe them!" Jon yelled as he wiped feathers and maple syrup off his face.   
  
"What ever would posses them to do this?!"  
  
Thayet hid a smile. "Jon, this is Alanna and Raoul we're talking about. I never doubted   
  
their ability to do something like this."  
  
"Well, neither did I. I just never thought they'd do something like this. I mean, humiliating   
  
me in front of the whole court?!" Jon looked at Thayet. "I just have one thing to say."  
  
"And what would that be?"  
  
"_Revenge_."   
  
---------------  
  
All night, Jon sat up, scheming. If he was going to get even with them, he'd need to think of   
  
something good. Finally, it struck him. The perfect plan. "Thayet!" he whispered as he shook his   
  
wife awake, "Thayet, wake up! I've got an idea!"  
  
"What is it Jon?" came the tired reply.  
  
"I know how to get back at them!"  
  
"That's nice dear. Now go back to sleep."  
  
"Thayet! Don't you want to hear what it is?" Jon sounded slightly put-down.  
  
Thayet took no notice of her husband's tone (it was three in the morning, after all!) as she   
  
answered, "No, not really."  
  
"Well, I don't care. I'm going to tell you anyways."  
  
Thayet continued to ignore him. Jon glared at the back of her head. She sighed as he lit a   
  
wreath of candles, lighting up the entire room. "O.k., what is it?"  
  
Jon smirked. "First we have to get some people."   
  
---------------  
  
An hour and a half later, Wyldon of Cavall, Baird of Queenscove, Numair Salmalin, and   
  
Gary the Younger of Naxen all sat, looking very disheveled, around a table in Jon and Thayet's   
  
rooms. Numair was the first to speak up. "It's four-thirty in the morning, Jon. What do you   
  
want?"  
  
Jon continued to stare into the fire, a faraway look on his face. Thayet, who, like the   
  
others, wanted to return to bed as soon as possible, finally nudged him with an annoyed grunt.   
  
Jon snapped out of his daze. He looked around the table. "I'm sure you all know about the, er,   
  
fiasco that occurred at the ball this night, or rather last night, considering the fact that it is now so   
  
early in the morning, haha!" he cleared his throat as everyone glared at him, not caring for his

'joke'. Jon could have sworn he heard crickets in the room, it was so quiet.

"Get on with it, Conte," Gary said with a death glare at his king and old friend.  
  
"Yes, please do," muttered Wyldon.  
  
Jon grinned nervously, then continued, "O.k., here's the plan..."   
  
---------------  
  
It was still early in the morning when Jon, Thayet, Wyldon, Baird, Numair, and Gary   
  
slipped out of the king and queen's chambers and down a hall into a very dark and very big   
  
room. "O.k., Thayet, Wyldon, and Gary, you all go get our supplies while Numair, Baird, and I

get our little friends," The king's piercing blue eyes rested on each of them as he talked, "We'll

put sleeping charms on them, and then bring them back here. Then the real fun'll begin." He gave

and evil smile. "Alright. We'll meet in forty-five minutes. Good luck." With that, they all went

their separate ways.

---------------

Their job done, everyone looked at Jon to see what to do next. Jon looked at his friends.

"Well, we're done." He sat down at a table.

Thayet looked at Numair. "How will we break the spell?"

Numair stifled a yawn. "We have to throw something at them."

Gary joined Jon and asked him, "Now what?"

"Now we wait," the king answered, "For them to wake up. In front of _everyone_."

---------------

Dom yawned and stretched. He went to get out of bed, only to think, _Wait a_

_minute...Who's that? It looks like-_ "MEATHEAD! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

The scream woke Neal up and he in turn, acted in a much more civilized manner, by

screeching at the top of his lungs. "DOM! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY BLOODY

BED?!!"

"_YOU'RE_ BED? THIS IS _MY_ BED! GET OUT!!!"

The cousins flailed around, trying to get out of each other's grip. They seemed to be stuck

together. Then Neal notice something else. They seemed to be suspended in the air, upside

down. "Dom, I don't think we're in anyone's bed. We're hanging upside down!" At this new   
  
realization, they both decided to do something about it.  
  
"HELP!!!"  
  
"GET US DOWN FROM HERE!!!"  
  
"HEEELLLLLLLP!!!!!"  
  
"WILL YOU TWO BE QUIET!" A new voice roared over their screaming, quieting them   
  
down.  
  
Neal craned his neck to look at the yeller. "Oh, hello Lady Alanna, Sir Raoul. Um, what   
  
are you doing?"  
  
Alanna, who was dressed as a horse, complete with fake ears, tale, and hooves, was   
  
seemingly holding Raoul, who was frozen in a ballet pose and clad in a frilly pink dress and high   
  
heels, above her head with only one hand. Now, this wouldn't have been as amazing if Alanna   
  
had resembled a giant and Raoul a rather small page, but considering the fact that both their   
  
appearances were quit the opposite, this was a very unusual sight. They both sighed. Raoul   
  
looked down at Alanna. "You answer."

Alanna looked at Neal. "Queenscove, we've been like this for a long time. Believe me, if   
  
we knew what it is that we're doing now, and how to stop it, we wouldn't be doing it."  
  
"Hey, why are you all still in my room?" Kel asked with a yawn. They all looked at her.   
  
She was standing on one hand, the other held out at her side. There were plates, mugs, and   
  
bowls stacked on her feet. "What?" She asked as Dom and Neal snorted. Alanna and Raoul hid   
  
smiles as Kel yelled, "What? What's so funny? _Tell me!_"  
  
"Well, Kel," Raoul said, smiling, "Look."  
  
Kel looked at her clothes and felt her face. She sighed. Kel was dressed like a man, but   
  
not only in clothes, which resembled a commoner's patched and baggy clothing. She also had a   
  
big, bushy, fake beard glued to her face. "Oh, very funny. Who did this? Where are we?"  
  
"We're in the dining hall. And I'd have to guess Jon did this."  
  
"I agree, Alanna," said Raoul, "But how could he do this himself? He must have had help.   
  
But who?"  
  
As if to answer his question, a cherry tart flew through the air and hit Alanna in the head.   
  
The spell keeping everyone in place fell apart, dumping them to the ground. The walls of the   
  
dining hall resonated with laughter. Over the heads of the roaring knights and soldiers eating   
  
breakfast, Alanna spotted Jon, Thayet, Numair, Wyldon, Baird, and Gary rolling on the ground   
  
guffawing. Jon spotted them looking and waved as he and the others got up and hurried from the   
  
hall. Alanna's eyes narrowed as she wiped cherries off of her face, growling, "THAT'S IT! _THIS_

_MEANS WAR!!!_"


	3. Dilemmas

**A/N**-_ I still, unfortunately, don't own anything except the plot and the cherry tart. That's   
  
it. Oh, and for anyone wondering, the cherry tart is like a character in this story and it'll   
  
make an appearance in every chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I've gotten **32**   
  
reviews already. And to think, I thought no one would like this story. And just a note, Kel   
  
is acting like she is in this chapter from the stress of having a beard, so please don't flame   
  
me because of her different attitude. Hope you all continue to like it!  
_  
**  
Dilemmas**  
  
Alanna, Raoul, Kel, Dom, and Neal sprinted down the hall to Raoul's chambers, all feeling   
  
highly embarrassed. Why, you ask? They had just been pranked by none other than the king,

queen, ex-training master, chief healer, most powerful mage in the realm, and king's advisor.

The group reached the rooms and burst inside. They sat down in the study, catching their breath.

Suddenly a laugh made them all freeze.

"What _are_ you all doing?"

They looked up. Buri was standing in the doorway, staring at them all with amusement

showing on her face. "I love the dress, Raoul. Can I borrow it sometime? And Kel, when did

you ever decide to grow a beard? It looks _fabulous_." She took a seat on the couch next to her

husband. "Oh, and Dom? You'd better stop hugging Neal now. He's a married man,

remember."

Neal scowled. "We're _not_ hugging. We're stuck." Dom nodded vigorously in agreement.

Buri hid a grin as she turned to Alanna. "Hey horse girl, wanna tell me what happened?"

"Not if you keep calling me that, no."

"Fine. _Alanna_, will you please tell me what happened?"

Alanna grimaced and stood up, pulling off her tail. "I'll let your husband do that. I need to

rid myself of my new horse parts."

Buri turned to Raoul, who in turn answered, "Not now. I want to get out of this dress."

"But sir," Kel spoke up, "It looks wonderful on you."

"I advise you to be quiet, Mindelan, unless you need reminding of your new facial feature."

With that, Raoul entered his bedroom and shut the door.

"That's it," Kel muttered as she got up and walked to the bathroom, "This thing is coming

off."

Now Buri turned to Neal and Dom who were standing in the middle of the room, still stuck

together. It seemed that while when the spell allowing them to hold such spectacular positions

broke, the spell making them hug had stayed in place. Dom saw Buri look at them. "Don't even

ask." He kicked Neal, which was easy considering how close they were. "Hey Meathead, if

you're such a great mage, separate us!"

Neal made a face. "I'm trying, I'm trying. And if you kick me again I'll, I'll..."

"You'll what, Meathead?" Came the taunting prompt.  
  
"Be quiet Dom." Roaul walked out of the bedroom, now clad in his normal attire.

"Where's Kel?"

As if in answer, a screech echoed from the bathroom. "OUCH!!! This ridiculous beard

won't come off! It's stuck!"

Raoul raised an eyebrow. "Ah, there she is." He sat down next to Buri again and called,

"What do you mean 'won't come off'? It was just glued on, right?"

"That's what I thought!" Kel grumbled, "But the blasted thing won't come off!"

Alanna sighed and stood up. "I guess I better go help her." She walked into the bathroom.

The group in the study listened to the two lady knights' conversation for a moment. Alanna's

voice flooded into the room. "O.k., this'll only hurt a little."

"OW!!! WHAT PART OF 'IT'S STUCK' DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

Alanna ignored Kel's outburst and said, "Well, what do you know, it seems to be a real

beard. Interesting."

Everyone smiled as Kel roared, "WHAT?!"

"So," Buri said, "Who wants to tell me what happened?"

Little by little, Buri got the whole story from her friend's. By the time their tale was over,

she was rolling around on the ground laughing.

Raoul frowned. "It's not funny."

"Yes it is."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

"N-"

Suddenly a flash of light and a sound like dynamite exploding cut Raoul off. Buri and Raoul

turned to see what had caused the interruption as Kel and Alanna stuck their heads out of the

bathroom to see the same thing. Neal and Dom sat on opposite sides of the room, each with

dazed, blackened faces.

"What happened?" Kel asked.

Neal grinned foolishly. "See Dom, I told you I'd get us apart." And then he fell over,

unconscious.

Dom grinned just as foolishly and said feebly, "So right, Meathead, so right!"

before keeling over himself.

----------------

"Sorry Kel," Alanna said, "But that beard is not coming off."

Kel gave a rare look of displeasure. "Great. Just great." She proceeded to mumble a string

of Yamani swears under her breath.

Buri grinned. "Look at it this way Kel, you don't have to worry about your face getting

cold anymore."

Kel glared. "Ha ha. You are _so_ funny."

Raoul stifled a laugh as he handed Kel a razor. "Here. You might want to shave that off."

With a scowl, Kel snatched to blade and turned back to the mirror in the bathroom,

saying, "This should be interesting, considering the fact that I've never had a beard before."

Dom, who had since woken up, jumped up and ran to the bathroom. "I'll help you!"

Neal rolled his eyes. "So, what's the next step in this so called 'war'?"

Buri's eyes sparkled as she said, "I have an idea." She proceeded to tell them her plan.

"O.k., it's settled," Alanna stated when the planning was finished, "Neal and I will work on

a potion, and then we'll put it in their drinks at dinner tonight."

"Alright," Raoul said, rubbing his hands together in delight, "We'd better get started. Dom,

Kel, come on!"

Everyone looked up to see Kel (now lacking her beard) and Dom in the bathroom, their

eyes closed, kissing madly.

After they had been watching for a few moments without being noticed, Neal remarked

loudly, "They have to come up for air _sometime_."

Their eyes snapped open and they separated quickly, Kel sputtering, "We, I... I mean, we

weren't...It-it wasn't what it looked like!"

Neal grinned smugly. "You mean you two weren't just making out in there?"

Kel turned beet red. "No! I-I mean, yes! Not really. We were just..." She scowled and

grabbed Dom's hand, running out of the rooms. "Come on! We have to get going!"

----------------

"Give me the vile!" Alanna took a cup of smoking liquid from Neal. She then proceeded to   
  
mix a small amount of the liquid with the wine already in the goblets at the table.  
  
Neal looked warily around. "Lady Alanna, hurry up! I think I hear someone coming!"  
  
Hastily, Alanna finished adding the potion to the cups and the two sprinted from the dining

hall back to Raoul's rooms.

----------------  
  
Later that evening, the two groups waging war, along with George Cooper of Pirates   
  
Swoop, Eleni and Myles of Olau, Daine Sarrasri, Yuki noh Daiomoru, and three Yamani   
  
officials, were seated at a long table in the royal dining hall.  
  
As they started to eat, Jon leaned over and whispered to Thayet, "Be on the lookout for   
  
retaliations from you-know-who."  
  
Thayet nodded and continued eating. Alanna and the others kept looking up from their   
  
dinners, eyes sparkling, which made Jon and his group nervous. Jon picked up his goblet and   
  
took a sip. He had just set his glass down when a sound echoed throughout the hall. He turned   
  
scarlet as everyone grew silent.  
  
Gary almost laughed. The king had just farted! In front of everyone! But his joy was soon   
  
brought to an end as he too cut the cheese.  
  
Alanna snorted. Their prank was going perfectly.  
  
Soon the hall was filled with the sound of Jon and his team farting and Alanna and her team   
  
laughing hysterically. Wyldon glared at them and roared, "WHAT IN MITHROS'S NAME   
  
DID YOU DO?!?"  
  
Raoul grabbed a cherry tart as he remarked, "Thank you for the dinner Jon, but   
  
unfortunately, now we must go!" They all jumped up from the table and sprinted from the room,   
  
closely followed by George, Eleni, Myles, and Yuki.

The Yamani officials forgot all their training of not showing emotions and watched this with   
  
looks of sheer terror on their faces. They looked at each other as one of them remarked yamani,   
  
"That's it, from now on, we stay in the Islands."


	4. Reinforcements

**A/N**- _Oh dear God!!! It's been two and a half YEARS since I last updated. ((falls over)) I'm very, very, VERY sorry. I've been buried under schoolwork here at home, and I barely have enough time to sleep, let alone write, and when I have free time, I don't do anything. ((sigh)) Anyways, here it is at long last, the next installment of "Bring On The War". It basically just sets the scene for some of the upcoming chapters. Enjoy! And thanks to anyone who is still reading this after my über-long break…_

**Disclaimer**- _I, unfortunately, still do not own any of this except the plot and the cherry tart. Everything else belongs to the wondrous Tamora Pierce. _

**Bring On The War**

------------------

_Previously: _

Alanna snorted. Their prank was going perfectly.

Soon the hall was filled with the sound of Jon and his team farting and Alanna and her team laughing hysterically. Wyldon glared at them and roared, "WHAT IN MITHROS'S NAME DID YOU DO?!?"

Raoul grabbed a cherry tart as he remarked, "Thank you for the dinner Jon, but unfortunately, now we must go!" They all jumped up from the table and sprinted from the room, closely followed by George, Eleni, Myles, and Yuki.

The Yamani officials forgot all their training of not showing emotions and watched this with looks of sheer terror on their faces. They looked at each other as one of them remarked yamani, "That's it, from now on, we stay in the Islands."

------------------

**Chapter Four:**

**Reinforcements**

"I cannot believe that she would stoop so low!" roared an outraged Jon to an exasperated Thayet as he paced in their main room, "I mean, of all the times to pull childish stunts, she had to choose in front of the _Yamani dignitaries_!" He sat down heavily on the couch and ran a hand through his hair. "We'll be lucky if they don't cut off all relations with us."

Thayet laid a gentle hand on her husband's back. "I know that you're angry, my love. But you have to admit, you haven't been acting very proper yourself lately."

Jon jumped up, fuming. "Thayet, I'm _King_! I _demand_ to be respected!"

The Queen crossed her arms, her beautiful face shadowy. "Don't you think that to be respected, you should respect others?" She pursed her lips and stormed out of the room, calling over her shoulder, "And I don't appreciate being talked to like that, Jonathan!"

He sighed deeply and buried his head in his arms, a muffled gripe seeping into the room, "But I'm the King!"

----------------

"Lass, what were you thinking?!" George demanded, pacing the room, "Humiliating the King like that in front of the Yamanis!" He shook his head. "I don't know what would compel you to do something like that."

Alanna's eyes flashed. "Don't chastise me, George. I'm not a child."

"I just don't see how you could be so foolish."

Alanna gave a small smile, and leaned back in her chair. "Foolish? I seem to remember a certain someone who burst out laughing and congratulated everyone on a job well done as we ran down the hall."

George gave a reluctant grin. "I suppose it was rather funny. And from what you've told me, Jon _did_ deserve it..."

"So you'll be joining us, then?"

George stared at her, startled. "Alanna, I never said I'd-"

"Oh, George!" exclaimed Alanna, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "You know you want to join in!"

For a moment, he looked uncertain, but his days as King of the Thieves, as well as a love for excitement got the better of him. Trying to sound unwilling, but sounding a little too eager for someone supposedly against the plans, he growled, "All right, I'll join your little group."

Alanna, hearing the horribly masked enthusiasm in his voice, roared with laughter.

----------------

"Nealan, what were you _thinking_, insulting the Yamani dignitaries like that?!" cried Yuki. The fiery little Yamani stood in the center of the room, her hands on her hips. Sitting directly in front of her were Neal, Dom, and Kel, all three of whom were looking as if Mithros had just answered their greatest prayers.

"I wasn't alone in this, you know!" retorted Neal indignantly. "In case you've forgotten, there were quite a few of us involved!"

"Neal, you are a grown man," Yuki hissed, her petite hands clenched into fists, "You do not have to do what everyone else does, especially when it involves you in something so childish!"

"Oh, Yuki," began Kel, her eyes twinkling, "If I know you half as well as I think I do, you enjoyed that at least a little bit."

Something in Yuki's face changed. Quickly, she snapped open her fan and hid her face. A harsh-sounding Yamani phrase issued from out behind the fan, a sound that seemed to contrast greatly with the reluctantly smiling eyes.

Kel let out a bark of laughter and responded in Yamani. For a split second, Yuki's eyes looked shocked before the two women doubled over with laughter, Yuki's fan trembling violently in her hand. Neal and Dom peered at each other over Kel's convulsing form, not quite sure what was happening.

"Fine," said Yuki as she used one of Kel's numerous handkerchiefs to dab at her tear-streaked face. "I will join your little group. But only," she added firmly, "because I doubt you will be able to succeed without me."

Neal burst out laughing and bounded over to his wife. In one fluid motion, he picked her up and spun her around. She giggled, looping her arms around his neck and kissing him on the mouth. When they broke apart, they found Dom and Kel kissing madly on the bed.

"Oh, not again," mumbled Neal, "Oi, love birds, won't you admit that you're dating yet?"

Dom snorted. "Dating? Who said we want to date each other?"

Kel gaped at him, her nose wrinkling and her eyes narrowing in disdain. With a powerful shove, she sent Dom sailing off the edge of the bed. He landed on the floor with loud thud, looking up in just enough time to see Kel swing the door open and stalk angrily out of the room.

Yuki snapped open her fan, and the men caught a glimpse of annoyance in her eyes as she hurried out of the room after Kel.

Dom gawked at Neal. "What did I do?"

Shaking his head, Neal sat down on the bed, eyeing his cousin with a look of mixed amusement and disbelief. "And you call me the Meathead."

"What? What'd I do?"

Neal sighed.

----------------

Myles stood in front of the large window overlooking the grounds outside the rooms he shared with Eleni. "I can't _believe_ Alanna would do something like that, especially to Jonathan! And at such an important dinner, to top it all off!" He threw his hands over his head. "Sometimes I feel as if she's still a child, leading a group in this so-called 'prank war'."

"Myles, Alanna has always been an adventurous girl, you know that," replied Eleni softly, "Besides, she and Jon are good friends. He would never hold something like this against her." She looked thoughtful. "And remember, Jonathan is leading his own group in this little battle they're fighting. He isn't exactly an innocent bystander."

Myles sighed heavily. "You're right. I just hope she doesn't get into any trouble."

Eleni walked over to wrap her arms around Myles' waist. "If I know my George, he'll be fighting right beside her. His days as King of the Thieves may be long over, but this is something he will never be able to keep his nose out of."

A chuckle rumbled in Myles' chest. "Too bad they lack the wisdom to see things our way."

The two stood in silence, staring out at the moonlit grounds.

At long last, Eleni spoke. "So are we going to join them?"

Myles turned, his teeth flashing in the darkness. "Of course we are."


End file.
